Randolph County NC Man Sentenced On False Impersonation And Communicating A Threat

GREENSBORO, N.C. – John Joseph Savage, age 50, has been sentenced to eight months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, announced Ripley Rand, United States Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina.

Savage, of Asheboro, North Carolina, previously pled guilty to one count of impersonating an employee of the United States and to one count of threatening interstate communication. Savage held himself out to defense contractors as an Army Special Forces non-commissioned officer in order to purchase DBAL-A2 infrared aiming lasers, which are not available for public sale, and to purchase hardware that is subject to other restrictions, such as night vision devices that are prohibited from being exported overseas.

Savage also made a threat to a counselor working on behalf of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), after information was uncovered during the course of the investigation that was used by the VA to reduce Savage’s disability compensation.

The joint investigation included the U.S. Department of Defense Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the VA Office of Inspector General, the Army Criminal Investigation Command, and the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office. Savage was sentenced in federal court in Greensboro, NC, on June 19, 2013, by United States District Judge Catherine C. Eagles. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Terry Meinecke.